The invention relates to a back housing for a multi-position electrical connector which terminates a flat electrical transmission cable, and, in particular, to a housing having a slotted entrance passage which provides versatile routing of the cable either 180 or 90 degrees from the housing and increased strain relief.
Strain relief devices protect the integrity of the connections made between an electrical transmission cable and an electrical connector. As a force is applied to the electrical transmission cable, the strain relief device provides resistance to the force preventing any destruction of the connections between the electrical transmission cable and an electrical connector.
Previous strain relief features in electrical connectors have included mechanical clampings and potting compositions. The clamps limit the versatility in which the cable may be routed from the housing. Potting composition basically consists of filling the back shell with an epoxy which cements the electrical transmission cable within the connector housing. The use of potting compositions requires additional steps and materials in the termination process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,512 discloses a common strain relief in which a tortuous path is created by requiring the electrical transmission cable to turn upon itself. As a result, the cable extends beyond the profile of the connector housing, and utilizes more space than the physical strain relief assembly. A problem with such a strain relief occurs in many applications because the space in the chassis for placing the electrical connector is limited. In applications where the cable enters the housing at a bend such as 90 degrees, extension of the cable past the housing makes installation difficult. The space constraints make it infeasible to waste space beyond the profile housing containing the strain relief.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a back housing for an electrical connector which affords strain relief protection to an electrical transmission cable and requires minimal clearance between the cable and an associated electrical housing as the cable terminates into the electrical connector.
Additional problems arise where the strain relief restricts the flexibility of the electrical transmission cable in connection with the electrical connector. Most strain reliefs only provide for relief in one dimension and hence limit the incorporation of such strain reliefs to applications in which that one dimension is available. U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,523 discloses a plug for a standard electrical cord which provides routing of the cord at 90 degrees from the plug housing.
Henceforth, another object of the present invention is to provide the electrical transmission cable with the capability of versatile routing allowing the cable to enter the electrical connector with strain relief at various angles in conjunction with providing a strain relief with any desired routing.